Feeding mechanism for cigarette-packaging machines



I. LAZAGA v FEEDINGIMECHANISM FOR CIGARETTE PACKAGING MACHINES May 10, 1927. 1,628,500

Filed March 25; 1926 7 Sheets-Shae! -My 10,1927. 1,628,500 I. LAZAGA FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CIGARETTE PACKAGING MACHINES Filed March 25. 1926 v Sheets-Sheet 2 May 10, 1927.

i. LAZAGA FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CIGARETTE PACKAGINGi-MACHINES Filed March 25. 1925 1' v Sheegs$heet 4 May 10, 1927.

l. LAZAGA FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CIGARETTE PACKAGING MACHINES v Sheets-Sheet- 5 Filed March 25, 1926 1.628500 May 9 LAZAGA' FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CIGARETTE PACKAGING MACHINES Filed March .5. 1926 v '7 Sheets-Shoot 6 y LLAZAGA FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CIGARETTE PACKAGING MACHINES FiledMarch25,1926 vsheet's-snet' Illlli Patented May 10, 1927.

came STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IGNACIO LAZAGA, OF HABANA, CUBA.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CIGABETTE-YACKAGING MACHINES.-

Appli cati en filed March 25, 1926. Serial No. 97,323.

This invention relates to an improvement aging machines. I

in feeding mechanism for cigarette pack- The object of the invention is to provide an improved feeding mechanism which will necessity of receiving theentire number of articles to be packaged from the feed hopper in their bunched relation at one time.

A'further object of the invention is to provide an improved feeding mechanism for packaging machines which will properly feed and arrange oval cigarettes, so that they may be bunched in their proper relation to be wrapped.

Heretofore, it has been customary to wrap oval cigarettes by hand, which necessarily.

takes a considerable amount of manual labor and necessitates the employment of a numberof employees to package a small quantity of cigarettes, and, in order to obviate this objection, this improved mechanism is provided which is so constructed that it will properly arrange the oval cigarettes in their bunched relation so as to permit the packaging mechanism to fold the wrapper around the same. The ordinary feeding mechanism for round cigarettes cannot be utilized for this purpose because the oval cigarettes must be arranged in a particular relation to each other and, if the mechanism for feeding the round cigarettes were used, no provision would be made for properly and symmetrically arranging the oval cigarettes. l I

After the cigarettes have been properly fed and arranged in their correct. formation and bunched relation, the same form of wrapping mechanism may be employed to fold the wrapper around the same, as is ordinarily used with the round cigarettes.

In carrying out this invention and these objects, my improved feeding mechanism includes a hopper divided into a plurality of compartments arranged side by side, through each of which a feed-belt of a-special construction passes, in order to convey the ciga rettes one at a time from each of these compartments. Specially arranged platforms are provided adjacent the ends of the feedbelts in order to receive the cigarettes therefrom in their properly formed relation and these platforms are arranged on difierent elevations in order that one row of cigarettes may be positioned above the other, so

that as the plunger passes over the platform, moving the cigarettes therefrom into the transferrlng mechamsm, 1t Wlll. push one row of cigarettes under or over the other, thus giving the entire number of bunched c1garettes their proper formation to receive the wrapper which is about to befolded therearounol. Agitator rollers are provided withinthe bottom of the hopper in order to keep the cigarettes feeding. downward therein continually and also in order to allow only the proper number of cigarettes tobe carried from the compartments of the hopper by the feed-belt. These agitator rollers also serve to insure that each individual cigarette will be placed and held at its proper angle with relation to the others, in order to allow the cigarettes to be properly bunched, ready to be wrapped. It is preferable to arrange the oval cigarettes with the longest diameter at an obtuse angle to a horizontal plane. p

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved feed ing mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section of the same and also showing a part of the driving mechanism therefor; I

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View through the transferring mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the rear roller for the feed-belt;

Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section therethrough at right angles to Fig. l;

' Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section through the front drive roller for the feedbelt;

Fig.

same;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the cam plate;

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view through the feeding platforms;

' Fig. 10 is a top plan View of the crosshead and plunger bar;

7 is a detail side elevation of the lar platform 49 is provided for the other belt and receives the cigarettes therefrom but, as shown in Fig. 9, these two platforms.

4(3 and 49 are on different elevations so that one row of cigarettes will be carried to an elevation lower than the other, in order to be positioned therebelow when the cigarettes are properly bunched. Cover plates 50 and.

51 are provided for the compartments 52 and formed between and over the platforms 46 and 49. The cover plates 50 and 51 are provided with fingers 54, which pro- .ject into the recessed portions 44 of the bars 88 but above the cigarettes carried thereby, in order to hold the cigarettes down in their proper positions while guiding the same over the platforms. As previously stated, the cigarettes are arranged at their proper angle by means of the concave sides 40 of the bars 38 and in order to prevent the cigarettes from turning over or getting out of this proper position, the compartments 52 and 53 are made of a less width than the length of the greatest diameter of the oval cigarettes. As shown in Fig. 9, suitable end plates 55, supported by means of extensions 56, are provided for holding the ends of the cigarettes in theconveyors to prevent them from moving longitudinally or being gclcidentally displaced within the conveyor e ts.

As a furthermeans of holding the cigarettes in their proper positions and relation, suitable foot-plates 57 are pivotally secured to the side of thehopper as shown in Fig. l3, in order to bear downupon the tops of the cigarettes as they are carried by the conveyors from the hopper.

The cigarettes are moved from the compartments 52 and 53 by means of a plungerlingers 58, which as shown in Fig. 12 is provided with a longitudinal slot 59, in order to clear theplatform 46 and move the cigarettes over both of these platforms 46 and 49. The plunger finger 58 is provided with an upwardly extending flange 60, at one 'end thereof, which is securely riveted to a plunger bar 61, shownin detail in Figs. 10 to plunger bar 61 and a similar plate 68 is secured to and projects outwardly from the lower side of thecrosshead 67 and 68,"as shown in means of the gears 76 and 77, all of which" isclearly shown in Fig. 2. The cam 74 is provided with a slightly flattened portion 78, shownin Fig. 15, for the purpose of substantially stopping the movement of the crosshead to allow the plunger finger to be moved upward]; when it has reached the limit of its outer stroke. i

For this purpose also the cam plate, shown in 8 and 9, provided to regulate the upward and downward movement of the plunger bar 61, This cam plate is formed of a back plate 79 which carries a cover plate 80 secured thereto by suitable screws 81. The bar 82 is pivoted to the back plate 79, as at and this bar is provided with' bevelled ends 84, as shown in Fig. 8, for guiding the movement of the plunger finger. One end of the back plate 7 9 is provided The lever 71' car A relatively strong spiral spring 6941s connected beill) with a. suitable abutment 85 which has a diagonal face 86' thereon for guiding the alun 'er fin er downward a ain when it has 1 'C) b C 7 ing this plunger finger 58, a roller 87 is se cured to the outer end of the plunger. bar

61, as shown in Fig. 12, and when t-he plunger finger has reached the limit of its bearing down upon the rear end of the plunger barfil, causes the plunger finger to move upward away from the platforms 46 and 49, and the roller 87 is guided over and along the upper surface of the bar 82 by the bevelled edge 84 thereof. The roller 87 thus moves backalong the bar 82 until it'reaches and strikes the inclined surface 86 of the abutment 85, when it moves the forward end of the bar 82 downward against the tension of the spring 88, hearing against the pin 89 projecting from the bar 82, through the slot 90 formed in the back plate 79. The roller 87 moves around and over the bevelled end 840i the bar 82 and is moved downward into alignment with the compartments 52 and 53 again in position to engage and move the cigarettes therefrom. As shown in Fig. 16, small wire springs 91 extend-inwardly over thesurface of the cover plate 50 and extend through the perforations 92 therein,'the outer ends outward movement, the spiral spring 69,

ot these springs 91 being bent to engage and retain the innermost cigarette in the compartment 5322 after the plunger linger has moved the remaining cigarettes away itrom in front oi? this position and through the eon'ipartment and into a transferring merhanism. When the plunger linger as, on its 'l'orward slroloa removes a predetermined Illll'llllGl of cigarettes from those on. the platform 41:6, the continuous feeding movement of the innermost cigarette and to a lesser degree of those behind it is temporarily arresteth due of course, to the tact that the innermost or the first cigarette of the remaining ones cannot advance while the plunger linger 5&3 moves past it. (onse- "uentlv while the i'i'll'ltllllOSli eiaarette n, K

thus held up, this cigarette and several others behind it are being llltlttll'slllfllf, co1npressed which, in turiu is due to the continuous travel ol the feed hell. As soon as the plunger linger 538 has passed the inner most ciern'ette, that is. just cleared it, it would have the tendency, on account ol. its having heen held under COII'IPI'LSSlOlL to jump ahead and clear the others behind it and thus being; free and no longer in contact: with the others lose its al'lgi ular position hut this is prevented by the s n'ings 91. Thus these wire swings 91 serve to tenniimarily retain the cigarettes in their proper formation and to prevent the spreading of the innermost ones within the coinpartn'lent after the plunger l8 has moved the charge from the compartment and until the plunger has returned to its initial po l. on to ei'igrage the one. The springs 91 frictionally engage the Foremost cigar- .rettes until they are forced .lorwa rd by the following ones hut this temporary restraint will prevent them from spreading! out in the com iartment The trans'hzrring mechanism fill preterahly the same as that shown in my prior Patent No. lthllol. llecenlher 1921i ere rcpt tlior the net that the plunger SH which engages and moves the hunched eiparctles through the transferring: lnerlu'znism is provided with notches 9:) therein, as shown in hip" H. in order to clear eiuidc studs 96, ea; d hy screws ill from the carer plate. l t'l ol' this transit-Trina imirluniisni. 'l here iii-now 9i" are adjustable thrmm h aloha llil formed in this top plate l tl. as clearly shown \l'ilh this form oil lranslerringr 'merlue uienu lhere is ordinarily an orcrinovcnicnt mechanism, until the plunger 94 is moved hack and engages the hunched cigarettes, moving; them througll the transferring mechanism ill-l and in position to he engaged and moved through the packaging mechanism for folding the wrapper around the lulnched cigrari-rttcs. This wrapping; mechanism may he of any suitable construction and may, in fact, be the same as shown in my prior Patent No. 1,518,081, so it is not considered i'iecessary to show or describe the same in this application.

A; shmvn in Fig. 17, a suitable guide plate lot) may he provided for engaging the under side of each of the bolts or any other suitahlc mechanism may serve this purpose, which is merely to support the belt during its movement through and from the feed hopper. Guide rollers might also serve this purpose.

The operation of the 111tlCl'll11t3 will be apparent from the ahove description, but to recapituhde, the cigarettes are placed in the two comporlmenls 8 and l) of the feed hopper -'-l-, where they are constantly fed dow11- ward therein by means of the agitator rollers 1.3, which, are driven in the same direction and at a rlower speed than the con rcyor hell; shalt Although the agitator rollers 1 are in fact driven in the same direction a the shafts, which carry the feed helt drums, the direction of travel of the agitator rollers is opposite to that of the feed belts at the point where they are closest. The rotation oi? the agitator rollers in connection with the moven'ient oi the feed belts causes the cigarettes to tend to rotate as a mass in the hopper. This rotary agitating action takes place between the. two respective agitator rollers for each belt, as well as hetween the outermost agitator roller and the aiijle ot the hopper. Besides agitatingthe cigarettes, the rollers '12) also serve to move the ("lfijillt'lil'Oli into their proper angular position with relation to the feed belts in the event that any cigarette has dropped into the flutes ol the feed belt in any but the proper position. lft sometimes happeusthat the cigarettes position then'iselves in such a way as to hrinp' the longest diameter at right angles to the feed helh and if this happens, the a rilator rollers will turn the cigarettes and ioaition them properly apairuztt the concave sides of the feed bars or flutes. This action is also helped by the resilient loot plates I)? which not only tend to turn the cigarettes to their proper positions hut prerent the cigarette; from turning; up zu eidcnlally. Thus, these agitator rollers serve to i'n'event more than one cigarette from being: carried by each of the hell; fin- ;rcrs or bars 138 and also insure that the oval cigarettes will he moved over in their proper diagonal positions against the concave side all) of each at the feed bars 38. The cigar lilll rettes are then carried from the feed hopper and held down in their proper diagonal positions by means of the foot-plates 57, until they reach and areguided over the platforms i6 and e9,which are so'close together that the cigarettes cannot turn in the compartments 52 and 53, and thus they are held in, their diagonal position throughoutthe length of their movement and when moved together through the compartments 52 and 53, the two rows or cigarettes will assume their final diagonal positions, shownin Fig. 18. The cigarettes are 'moved through these compartments by means of the finger 58 which is operated from the crosshead 63 and when this finger has reached the limit of its movement, it is moved upward by means of the spring (39 and the'roller 87 is guided back in its elevated position over the upper edge of the bar 82 and is again guided downwardly by means of the inclined surface 86 of. the abutment 85 on the back plate79, bringing the plunger down into its proper position again to engage another charge of cigarettes The cigarettes are thus moved by means of the finger 58 into the transferring mechanism 93, which moves the cigarettes across the machine and through the packaging mechamsm.

It will thus be seen that oval cigarettes may be so arranged and delivered from the hopper in a formation which will allow them to be packaged in compact and con venient form in such a manner that they may be moved through the packaging meclr anism and wrapped by the same mechanism which is ordinarily used for wrapping round cigarettes. livering various rows of cigarettes at different elevations in order to position one row above the other during the final bunching of the cigarettes.

I claim:

1. Feeding mechanism for packaging machines including a feed hopper having a plurality of compartments arranged therein, endless conveyors for feeding the articles from said compartments along substantially the same horizontal plane, and means for receiving and directing the articles from each of the endless conveyors along a different horizontal plane from the articles delivered from the remaining conveyors.

2. Feeding mechanism including a compartment, means for feeding articles thereto, a plunger finger for feeding said articles through said compartment, a plunger bar carrying said finger, a reciprocating crosshead to which said plunger bar ispivotally connected, and resilient means for normally holding said plunger finger out of alignment with the compartment.

3. Feeding mechanism including a compartment, means for feeding articles thereto,

Provision is also made'for de-' 4. Feeding mechanism including a com-- partment, means for. feeding articles thereto,

a plunger finger for feeding said'articles through SZLlCl compartment, a plunger bar to which said finger is attached, a reciprocating crosshead for pivotally supporting said plunger bar, plates extending outwardly from the plunger bar and crosshea'd, a spring connected with the plates for normally tending to hold the finger out of alignment with the compartment, means for reciprocating the crosshead to move the finger forward through the compartmentand back out of the compartment, and a cam bar for moving said plunger into alignment with the comzontal slot therein in position to pass over the partition to transfer articles through said compartment, means for moving said plunger finger through the compartments, means for moving the plunger finger. out of alignment with the compartment when it has substantially reached the limit of its forward movement, a cam roller carried by said plunger finger, and means for guiding the rearward movement of said plunger finger including a back plate, a cam bar pivotally connected therewith, a top plate carried by said back plate in position to receive the cam roller between said top plate and the pivot bar, resilient means for normally holding said bar in its upward position, and an abutment cl. 'ried by said back plate and having a sloping side in position to engage the roller and move the plunger finger downward into alignment with the compartment when said finger has substantially reached the limit of its rearward movement.

6. Feeding mechanism for packaging ma-s chines including a transfer head having notches formed therein, means for feeding articles into the path of said transfer head to be engaged thereby, a cover plateand studs adjustably carried by said cover plate and extending into the path of the notches in the transfer head for holding articles in their bunched position until engaged by said head. I I

7, Feeding mechanism for packaging ma chines, including a feed hopper, endless conveyors for feeding the articles from said hopper along substantially the same horizontal plane and means for receiving and directing the articles from each of the endlees conveyors along a different horizontal plane froin the articles delivered from the remaining conveyors.

S. Feeding mechanism for packaging 1na chines, including a feed hopper having a plurality of compartments arranged there in, endless conveyors for feeding the artieles from each of said compartments, said endless conveyors having grooves formed thereiin and platforms arranged in dill'erent horizontal planes and having fingers extending into the grooves for directing the articles from each of the endless conveyors along a dil'l'erent horizontal plane from the articles delivered from the remaining conveyors.

9. Feeding mechanism including a com pertinent, a plunger for feeding articles through said compartment, a reei n'oeating cross head pivotally connected with said plunger, and resilient means for normally holding said plunger out ofalignment with the eompartment.

10. Feeding mechanism including a compartment, a plunger for feeding articles therethrough, a roller earried by said plunger, a ram bar in position to engage the relief to move and hold the plunger out of alignment with the compartment, and a am for engaging the roller to move the plunger into alignment with the oon'ipartment against the action of the am bar.

11. lieeding mechanism including a contpartment, a plunger for feeding articles therethrough, a roller earried by the plunger, a pivoted cam bar in position to engage the roller to move and hold the plunger out of alignnu-mt with the compartment, a spring connected with the cam bar for resiliently opposing pivotal movement thereof, and a cam for ei'igaging the roller to move the plunger into alignment with the compartment against thi action of the came bar and spring.

In testimony \vlrereof I allix my signature.

1G NACTO LAZAGA. 

